A/N: I know, it's been a while. But good news! I've decided to try and update at least 2 more times for this story during my break. Doesn't that sound nice? And if I can't get it all by January 5th, I have another break coming that next week, so it's all good. Enjoy. And review.
It was raining when we finally reached Uncle Jiraiya's house. The drive felt like it had taken weeks, but it lasted only a few hours.
I still felt horrible.
Jiraiya had a huge house, and for only just one man, it seemed like kind of a waste. My mom said that he lived alone ever since the one true love of his life left him, and he was so heartbroken, that he ended up a.) becoming a man-whore, and b.) writing a series from their relationship and making a fortune. When I was young, I used to love to hear the story of the heartbroken man and his one true love, but now it just kind of disgusts me.
I guess I'm just being cynical because of, well, you know. Him.
Strangely enough, I can't even place which him I'm talking about.
"Kokoro!" Jiraiya's voice broke through my thoughts as the front door opened. My mother's face broke into a smile, and she walked forward to give her uncle a hug. "I always said you were too beautiful to be married."
"Uncle," mom said, pulling back. I was sitting inside the car, watching them exchange pleasantries.
"But, if anything, I guess Souta can be considered a good husband."
"You say that every time we see you, Jiraiya," my father said, a smile on his face as he went to pull some bags from the trunk.
"It always applies every time I see you two." He walked over to help my father or something. I fell back into the seat, rolling my eyes. I didn't want to be here, but it was an escape. I wouldn't have to face Sasuke anymore.
But you also won't be able to see Shikamaru.
Yeah, but then again, he probably hates me for leaving him or quitting or whatever I did wrong. I don't even know what I did, yet he's all upset about it.
Outside the car, I could barely hear Jiraiya talking to dad, probably asking him what was wrong with me. And my dad was probably explaining what happened with Shikamaru, and they were all having a jolly good time…
Whoa, that was weird. I usually don't think British.
I could hear Jiraiya saying something back, and my mom cut in with a worried sounding voice. I could barely make out the words.
"What do you mean, an extra tenant?"
An extra tenant? Was Jiraiya actually keeping one of his girlfriends at the house with him? Had the love of his life finally moved back in? Did he adopt a pet frog or something?
"Well, it was a last minute thing… I figured that she wouldn't mind… Speaking of your daughter, where is she?"
I raised myself up and looked out the back window. Jiraiya was standing next to a big pile of my stuff, looking at my father. I opened the door slowly, and walked out.
"Hey, uncle Jirai-"
"SAKURA-CHAN?!" My ears perked up for a millisecond, and then my eyes grew wide. I knew that voice. I had been in school with that voice for God knows how long. Why was that voice here?
I spun around and came face to face with Naruto Uzumaki, the one person in the world I did not expect to find here. "Sakura-chan! It is you!"
"H-hi, Naruto," I said, still surprised. He looked different, even though I had just seen him in school recent-…
Oh wait. Naruto transferred out while I was still with Sasuke.
That would probably be why I hadn't seen or heard him in a long time.
"So, why are you here at the pervy sage's house?" he asked, smiling.
"I'm going to be staying here for the rest of the year and probably the summer, maybe even next year. You?"
"Oh, I'm living here because the old hag decided that I was too much trouble."
He laughed, and I couldn't help but smile. Even though I didn't exactly love Naruto, I never really had a problem with him. Well, I did when I was younger, but I grew out of it. And now, here he is, making me feel better and all.
"Hey, kid, will you grab some of her boxes while I show my niece to her room? Thanks." Jiraiya grabbed me by the shoulders, and started pushing me toward the house. Naruto just stood back, with a look of stunned awe on his face.
"Sakura is RELATED to you?"
But uncle didn't answer. Instead, he let go of my shoulders, and let me take in the splendor of his house. I'd never been here before; he usually always came to visit us. I had seen the outside, but God, the inside was fabulous.
The opening room was wide with two staircases leading up onto a balcony type thing that looked like it connected two hallways. There also two doors at the back, and two on each side.
He must like the whole symmetry thing.
"The kitchen and terrace are back there," he said, pointing toward the back. "The library and bathroom is on the right, and the living room and basement are over there. The right wing is my side. Naruto sleeps over there as well. You can use one of the bedrooms on the left however you want; you won't have to worry about him bothering you."
I just nodded my head, letting it all sink it. I had an entire wing of a house all to myself. Well, I'm sure that Naruto will be over there, but still. The thought of living here was really starting to take for me.
He turned around, probably to go check up on his other tenant, and I walked up the stairs to pick out my new room. My mom and dad soon followed, making their way to whatever room I picked out. I finally chose a soft pink room with a comfy bed and some other furniture.
My dad set down the boxes he was holding and went to direct Naruto to my room.
My mother stayed behind, smiling. "You seem a little happier now than before we left."
"Yeah, this house is really starting to brighten my mood. It's like a dream house. And I know I won't be bothered by anyone while I'm here. New people, a different school. They don't know me. They won't get upset or care."
"Except for that boy you know." Her brown eyes pierced my green ones.
"Yeah, Naruto. He used to go to my old school. Apparently he transferred while I was with… Well, I've been kind of oblivious all year."
Her smile only grew wider as she put an arm around my shoulders. "You'll do well here, I can feel it. This is a good place for you to be right now, Sakura. You'll get over this."
I just smiled and gave her a hug. "We should get started on these boxes, yeah?" I said, pulling the tape off of the closest one. It was full of all of my computer junk and desk supplies. I just moved the box over to the desk and began to get things set up. More boxes came in as my mother and I continued to work, and pretty soon the room even looked like my old one.
"Well, that's all the boxes, Sakura. We've got to get going to get home in good time." My dad looked from the darkening outside to his watch, and I knew that he didn't really want to leave his baby girl behind at some pervert's house for who knows how long.
"Oh, don't be silly, Souta. Stay for dinner and the night," Jiraiya said, grinning. "It gets boring only have the kid here all the time."
"Now, Uncle, we don't want to stay here and then decide that Sakura is better off being homeschooled," my mother stated. He eyes looked watery, but I knew that she was right. They were liable to change their minds at any second.
My parents moved forward, looking at me. Neither of them were fully crying, but I could tell that my mother was on the verge of doing so. I, on the other hand, was about to begin bawling like a newborn.
"This is goodbye, honey," my mom said, giving me another hug. My dad put his arms around the both of us.
"We're only a call away if you need us. And Jiraiya's right here. We love you."
"We love you so much."
"I love you guys, too," I responded. "Bye mama, bye daddy."
They hung onto me for just a second longer, and then it was gone. They let go, and I let go, and they left. I walked with them down to the front foyer, and they got into the car and drove away. That was it. No going back. No more old life of Sasuke and Shikamaru.
Shikamaru.
His name made my spine tingle, but all I could see was the looked of disappointment and pain that had been etched onto his face when I was leaving. I could almost hear the anger seething into his words, into his lazy voice.
You don't really care about me?
The weird part of that was, I wanted to yell at him that I did care. I cared more than he could ever know.
Oh, but who was I kidding, I was over my Shikamaru crush. It had ended the day that the stuff with Sasuke began. Yeah, that's it. I turned around, ready to head back up to my room and finish making it mine. I saw Naruto's blonde hair poking out from the right wing, and his eyes grew wide as I focused in on him.
"Naruto, what are you doing?"
"I was watching you say goodbye to your parents. Is that woman really Jiraiya's niece?"
I shrugged. "Yeah, but she's adopted."
"Oh. Well, he must really like her to let you stay here, then. He never really lets anyone come into his house unless he really likes them, or so I've noticed."
"My mom was always really close to uncle Jiraiya. And he always liked me. But if that's true, why are you here? You said Tsunade-sama asked him to take you in."
"Yeah. And?"
"Why'd he accept?"
Naruto grinned, and finally came out so I could see his entire body. He slid his hands behind his head. "She was always his one true love, but she never really liked him back. Or at least, she never told him she liked him. But he can't say no to her. Kind of like you, Sakura-chan."
I suddenly felt incredibly guilty for seeing Shikamaru in my minds eye when Naruto took that stance. If Naruto really felt that way about me, and I was just ignoring him…
Would we really turn out like Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya? I don't want to cause anyone that much pain.
Why are you leaving me behind?
Oh, too late for the no pain thing. His whole attitude today just screamed 'You've hurt me,' and 'I hate you.' I felt so horrible about it, and yet I had no idea why. Why was my leaving making him so mad?! Why couldn't he just accept it, or support me?
Why is he the one in pain? He didn't have to suffer through it all!
"Sakura? Oy, Sakura!" I snapped back to reality, and looked up at Naruto.
"H-huh?" I stumbled, feeling shaky.
"You look like you are about to cry. Are you okay?" In a few seconds, he had bounded down the stairs and was standing next to me. His blue eyes were full of sympathy, and I couldn't help but be calmed by them. They were so peaceful. His hands were so warm.
"Yeah. I… it was just memories."
His soft gaze hardened somewhat. "Oh. Sasuke. That bastard."
"I thought you were friends?" I asked, confusion coloring my tone.
"After what he did to you? And to all those other girls? He's a bastard, plain and simple. He didn't used to be that way, but he is now. I can't believe that he did that to you, of all people. If I had been there, I would have killed him for you."
I couldn't help but smile once more at the nice thought. It was weird to know that he cared so much about me, especially since I had never really shown an interest in him.
And you already like someone, remember?
But then again, said person hates me.
And I do NOT like Shikamaru. Why do I keep thinking I do?
"Sakura?"
Yet again, his voice broke through my own thoughts. He had a knack for getting me out of my own head when I needed it the most.
"Hey, Naruto, I think I'm going to my room. It's been a long day."
"Do you want me to walk you up there? You look like you're ready to break."
"Yeah, sure," I responded, almost glad to have some company to keep myself away from thoughts of a certain Nara. Oh, geeze…
I was stuck on Shikamaru again…
Then, Naruto grinned. His smile sent a strange wave throughout my body, and my world went fuzzy for a second. All the thoughts of Shikamaru were washed out of my mind as I marveled in the happy grin adorning his face. As we walked up the stairs and to my room, I couldn't help but feel that my mom was right when she said that this was a good place for me to be. This was a place that I needed to be.
I couldn't help but feel that Naruto was going to be the one that helped me get over Sasuke, and even Shikamaru.
When we finally made it to my room, I gave him a small hug. "Thanks, Naruto."
"What for?"
"Being a friend."
And I meant it.
A/N: I don't even know if this chapter makes sense. I'm so tired. And if it doesn't, I'm very soory. I don't mean for it to suck. It just comes out that way sometimes. Trust me, this whole Naruto/Sakura thing won't last too long. I don't know if I can take it too much longer. And I know that everyone is waiting for ShikaSaku, which WILL be happening. And because I realize that this story really has nothing to do with ShikaSaku, I think I might add a hapter or two of pure fluff. Or write another one shot. Or both things. Because that would rock. Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel the need to pass out. Sincerely, Rai Lockhart.